Your vehicle report
2013 Subaru BRZ
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 64
- Received Jul 2012 to Jul 2026
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Engine stalls and loses power while driving6 complaints · 9.4% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Engine knocking from rod or main bearings4 complaints · 6.3% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #18V772000Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2012-2014 Subaru Impreza, 2012-2013 Impreza Stationwagon, 2013 Subaru BRZ, XV Crosstrek and Toyota Scion FR-S vehicles. The engine valve springs in these vehicles may fracture causing an engine malfunction or a possible engine stall.
- Recall #12V254000Subaru is recalling certain model year 2013 brz vehicles manufactured from november 25, 2011, through may 25, 2012. The owner’s manual contains an inaccurate description of the actual operation of the front passenger occupant classification system. Other portions of the owner’s manual, describing the air bag system, require clarification. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with federal motor vehicle safety standard (FMVSS) no. 208, “occupant crash protection.”
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 0 crashes, 1 fire, 0 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 2 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Electrical & lights
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Airbags, belts & seats
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Steering, suspension & tires
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Body, doors & glass
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2013 | 4 |
| 2014 | 6 |
| 2015 | 0 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 28 |
| 2020 | 13 |
| 2021 | 3 |
| 2022 | 2 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 2 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 1 |
| Total | 64 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine stalls and loses power while driving | 6 | 9.4% | – | |
| Engine knocking from rod or main bearings | 4 | 6.3% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #18V772000November 1, 2018165,534 vehicles affected
engine and engine cooling: engine
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2012-2014 Subaru Impreza, 2012-2013 Impreza Stationwagon, 2013 Subaru BRZ, XV Crosstrek and Toyota Scion FR-S vehicles. The engine valve springs in these vehicles may fracture causing an engine malfunction or a possible engine stall.
An engine stall can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Subaru will notify their owners. Toyota will notify the FR-S owners. Dealers will replace the valve springs, free of charge. The recall began December 26, 2018. Subaru owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614, Toyota owners may contact the Toyota Customer Experience Center at 1-888-270-9371. Subaru's number for this recall is WTY-84.
NHTSA recall #12V254000June 5, 20121,886 vehicles affected
equipment: other: owners/service/other manual
Subaru is recalling certain model year 2013 Brz vehicles manufactured from november 25, 2011, through may 25, 2012. The owner’s manual contains an inaccurate description of the actual operation of the front passenger occupant classification system. Other portions of the owner’s manual, describing the air bag system, require clarification. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with federal motor vehicle safety standard (FMVSS) no. 208, “occupant crash protection.”
Misinformation could lead to an increased risk of injury to front seat occupants during certain crash conditions.
Remedy
Subaru will notify owners, and will mail corrected owner’s manuals, free of charge. The safety recall began on june 19, 2012. Owners may contact Subaru at 1-800-782-2783.
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2013 Subaru BRZ.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN